Preparing Ubuntu for installation on a 500 GB Samsung 960 EVO card
Preparing Ubuntu for installation on a 500 GB Samsung 960 EVO card
Hello everyone! I'm exploring the optimal method to set up Ubuntu on a brand new Samsung 960 EVO SSD with 500 GB total storage, paired with a 1 TB Barracuda (7200 RPM) drive. Initially, I considered installing Ubuntu through the simple installation process without manual partitioning and keeping all my files on the SSD while using the HDD as a backup. I also learned that leaving unused space on the SSD can help extend its lifespan. Later, I realized it wasn't essential to store all my music, videos, and documents on the SSD and could be beneficial to leave some space empty. Eventually, I opted for manual partitioning but have three questions:
1. Since this disk has never been used before, should I create an EFI partition? (I'm using UEFI mode)
2. Is a swap partition necessary? (My system has 32 GB RAM and I don’t hibernate it.)
3. Final and most important question – what’s the better approach?
Option 1: Mount all /home on the HDD instead of the SSD to free up space on the SSD, creating roughly 250 GB for / and leaving the rest unallocated.
Option 2: Install the full system (including /home) onto a 250 GB partition on the SSD, then mount the HDD via fstab permanently at startup on /media/hdd/, while keeping all configuration files on the SSD for quicker access and handling large files there.
Thank you for your assistance!
Create a 512MB EFI partition without using swap. You can add it later as a swap file if necessary. I prefer manual partitioning. To prolong SSD life, move /var to an HDD. It only requires 5GB. /var holds variable data such as logs. The system should be 20GB, while /home can reside on a separate partition to fill the rest of the drive. Keeping /home in its own partition is beneficial for reinstalling OS and preserving your data.